A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

Nebraska's pro-life attorney general, Don Stenberg (R), will step into the national spotlight Tuesday by defending his state's late-term abortion ban in front of the United States Supreme Court. Stenberg will be arguing for more than the Nebraska law, though. He is a leading candidate to replace retiring Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.), and Tuesday's oral argument affords him an opportunity to advocate the conservative agenda that he says he won't compromise, though it has made some state lawmakers uncomfortable.

"Realistically, I didn't think we had anything to lose." David Melton, the foreman of a Kentucky county jury that flipped a coin last week to convict a man of murder, rather than manslaughter. The presiding judge declared a mistrial upon learning of the incident. (The Courier-Journal, April 25)

• Stenberg Credited as Persistent
(Lincoln Journal Star, April 23)
• Abortion Case Goes to Court
(Omaha World-Herald, April 25)
• A Divided High Court to Revisit Abortion
(The Washington Post, April 23)
• Live Online: Nebraska Lt. Gov. Dave Maurstad (1 p.m. EDT)
• U.S. Supreme Court April Docket: Stenberg v. Carhart

Stenberg and Secretary of State Scott Moore lead a crowded field of on-again, off-again GOP hopefuls angling to take on former governor and likely Democratic nominee Ben Nelson.
• Stenberg, Moore, Nelson Top Senate Race
(Lincoln Journal Star, April 23)
• Grogan Back in Race; Says He Never Quit
(Lincoln Journal Star, April 22)
• Profile: Nebraska Senate Race

Privacy Issues Surround N.H. Impeachment Probe
The chairman of the New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee said Monday that the panel would periodically continue to meet in closed-door sessions during the course of their state Supreme Court impeachment inquiry, despite criticisms that the proceedings should be public.
• Media Urge Openness in Probe
(The Telegraph, Nashua, N.H., April 25)
• Judiciary Committee Under Spotlight Tuesday
(Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H., April 24)

Jackson Protests Kentucky Police Practices
The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Sunday led a march of 2,000 demonstrators in Louisville, Ky., to call for congressional hearings into alleged police abuses and to protest the proposed mergers of two of Kentucky's largest counties.
• Jackson Returns to Louisville
(The Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky., April 24)
• 2,000 March With Jackson
(The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky., April 24)

Mass. Governor Meets With Gun Demonstrators
Massachusetts Gov. Paul Celluci (R) met with the leaders of a large gun rights protest at the state capitol Monday, but agreed to disagree with the demonstrators over enforcement of Massachusetts's strict gun laws.
• Protest Targets Mass. Gun Laws
(The Boston Globe, April 25)

In Indiana, Education Forum Foreshadows Fall Debate
Next week's primary election in Indiana not only will determine the gubernatorial nominees, but also will likely set up the state's educational system and student testing as a principal election-year issue in Indiana.
• Politics Colors Debate on Education
(The Indianapolis Star, April 25)